Celebrity: Learn to say "No"

[russg140]

Just off the Silhouette TA where we had an A-MAY-ZZZZING time! My number one suggestion to Celebrity: There are times when you have to let your staff just say "No". Luminae was phenomenal and the review of our cruise will be written tomorrow, but the practice of allowing guests in Luminae to order from the Main Dining Room must stop. In no other restaurant on board is a guest allowed to order from another menu: You can't go into Tuscan and ask for Qsine's Sushi Lollipops. You can't go into the Main Dining Room and ask for the Grand Marnier souffle from Murano. Why do I care/what does it matter? Having the server retrieve food from the other kitchen takes time and takes them away from their other guests' enjoyment of their dinner. How do you fix it? When a guest says, "I'd like the onion soup (from the MDR) the server should be allowed to say, "I'm sorry, but that isn't on this evening's menu. If you'd like I can ask our Maitre D' to see if there is a table available in the MDR for you so you can enjoy that." Luminae's menu is available early enough that a suite guest that doesn't like it can choose to dine somewhere else.

[Wine-O]

In the past if you dined in Blu you couldn't order anything from the MDR. Now they do allow you to order items from the MDR. I can see the pros and cons, but we were on a 15-day TA, and there were a couple of Blu menus that we couldn't seriously find anything to our liking, so being able to order the Schnitzel from the MDR was fantastic. The waiter in Blu accommodated us.

[Doctor G]

On my recent cruise on Infinity many people in Luminae ordered from the MDR menu, and it did not seem to create a problem for anyone. I knew most of the people eating in Luminae, and they all thought the service was exceptional and had no complaints. It's not like they have to go to the other end of the ship to a different kitchen. I believe MDR and Luminae are in the same kitchen or next door to each other. Luminae offers far fewer choices than MDR and, for me, sometimes none of their choices were appealing. If I pay the price for a suite to be able to eat in Luminae, I do not want to be shunted off to the MDR. It's about more than the food.

 

Carolyn

[Host Jazzbeau]

You are incorrect. We took the Galley tour on Connie this year and the Luminae galley is immediately adjacent to the MDR galley [in the same large galley area]. They stressed that it takes the Luminae wait staff no extra time to retrieve MDR items. With all the criticisms of Luminae's "limited menu," the LAST thing Celebrity should do is take away this escape valve for those who don't fancy the offerings at a particular meal.

Edited November 21, 2016 by Host Jazzbeau

[CHEZMARYLOU]

The 2 restaurants share the same kitchen on all the ships. We often enjoyed escargot in Luminae from the MDR menu and my DH would often request a Caesar Salad. Didn't seem to impact any other cruisers in the least.

[Tomato53]

Just off the Silhouette TA where we had an A-MAY-ZZZZING time! My number one suggestion to Celebrity: There are times when you have to let your staff just say "No". Luminae was phenomenal and the review of our cruise will be written tomorrow, but the practice of allowing guests in Luminae to order from the Main Dining Room must stop. In no other restaurant on board is a guest allowed to order from another menu: You can't go into Tuscan and ask for Qsine's Sushi Lollipops. You can't go into the Main Dining Room and ask for the Grand Marnier souffle from Murano. Why do I care/what does it matter? Having the server retrieve food from the other kitchen takes time and takes them away from their other guests' enjoyment of their dinner. How do you fix it? When a guest says, "I'd like the onion soup (from the MDR) the server should be allowed to say, "I'm sorry, but that isn't on this evening's menu. If you'd like I can ask our Maitre D' to see if there is a table available in the MDR for you so you can enjoy that." Luminae's menu is available early enough that a suite guest that doesn't like it can choose to dine somewhere else.

 

Did this affect your dining experience negatively?

 

We were on the Summit recently and I know that some people did order from the MDR menu but it had no impact on me.

 

We did the galley tour and the galley for Blu is co-located with the other galleys; this may be different on S-class.

[JFontaine]

People spending that kind of money want to eat what they want. Celebrity realized this the first week the program was rolled out in trial.

[NCHPcruiser]

At least one person in our group of four always ordered something off of the MDR menu. We love Luminae but the menu is too limited and it didn't seem to be a problem for the waitstaff or other diners (who we became friends with and were also occasionally ordering off the MDR menu). It seemed we almost got too much attention instead of not enough! We would hate to see that option taken away.

[bigbenboys]

It has been my understand that ordering off the MDR in Luminae was the norm. I was handed both menu's when I sat down in Luminae. I order cold soup if they have it on the MDR menu. Other time I order the salmon off the every night menu. I've see here that some people in Luminae custom order food they want. While the serves is great in Luminae and Michael's Club is very nice. If they took the option of only ordering off the Luminae menu that they have now. I'm thinking we might just go back to Aqua. We are new to suites. Or last 2 cruises have been in suites. Our next cruise is in a suite. The other 3 cruises for next year we are back in Aqua. Time will tell if we upgrade to suites.

[jelayne]

On a 15 night cruise in our party of 4 at least 1 person ordered something from the MDR menu every night. I like Luminae but, with limitations on what I can eat, the Luminae menu combined with the MDR menu allows me adequate choices.

[Caribbean Chris]

I like being able to order certain dishes if I want to off the MDR menu in Luminae. The waiter brought it every night without our asking as an option, which was great. If Celebrity was having a service problem, they wouldn't be offering it. Never saw any negative impact whatsoever.

 

Your complaint is guests can't do this in any other restaurant? Right! Luminae is better than the others, and that's the whole point.

[dkjretired]

You are incorrect. We took the Galley tour on Connie this year and the Luminae galley is immediately adjacent to the MDR galley [in the same large galley area]. They stressed that it takes the Luminae wait staff no extra time to retrieve MDR items. With all the criticisms of Luminae's "limited menu," the LAST thing Celebrity should do is take away this escape valve for those who don't fancy the offerings at a particular meal.

 

That is why the MDR items have been more available on the M class ships as opposed to the S class ships. S class was doing it but seemed to have stopped. This has been going on ever since they put Blu onto the M class ships in the big remakes. They appear now to be getting away from that now other than the smaller items.

[dkjretired]

The 2 restaurants share the same kitchen on all the ships. We often enjoyed escargot in Luminae from the MDR menu and my DH would often request a Caesar Salad. Didn't seem to impact any other cruisers in the least.

 

Do not believe they share the same kitchens on the S class ships...

[citruscruiser]

By making the MDR menu available in Luminae also keeps additional guests from overloading the Select/My Time Dining seating.

[gw2fll]

I'm sorry, but I disagree. There were several nights on our recent sailing where I could not find anything that I could eat due to the preparation, the protein, etc. and having the ability to leverage the MDR menu was helpful and accommodating.

 

Why should the other member of my party not be able to order from the Luminae menu because I am unable to find something I can eat. Are we to dine separately that evening?

 

If ordering from the Luminae menu is "mandatory" then the menu needs to be expanded to accommodate the varying needs of the guests and their pallets.

 

Just my opinion.

[jagoffee]

Looking forward to reading how other cruisers ordering from the MDR menu in Luminae negatively impacted the OP's Luminae experience.

 

We really enjoy Luminae and not being able to occasional order off the MDR especially the Escargot would be very disappointing.

 

On the Solstice Class ships the Luminae is carved out of the old MDR, so it is located in an area that used to be the MDR. It would seem really silly to not be able to order from the MDR menu because of a wall.

 

Causing parties to split into two groups based on the specifics on a menu does not make sense to me.

 

I think we can be confident that Celebrity will not adopt this particular suggestion.

[Siora7777]

Like another poster stated, if everyone was told to go to MDR or select who wanted to order from that menu that would make it difficult for the people who are assigned to MDR or select. Wait times would be longer.

Edited November 22, 2016 by Siora7777

[chemmo]

In my personal opinion saying 'no' to MDR menu items is not an option.... It was identified by many regular suite cruisers that the Luminae menu was 'narrow'. Good but narrow....As a guest who usually cruises in RS or PH suites we do as you suggest, look at the Luminae menus early in the cruise then book specialities on the evenings where we find the Luminae choice limited. This option is not open to all suites....Other suites have paid in their suite package for the higher level of service offered in Luminae not just the food and, as others point out, do you split a couple up and send one to the MDR for their onion soup! Do they then return to Luminae for their main course!

 

When the Luminae menu was discussed at great length on introduction the worry was that a broader menu may become a 'blander' menu. The availability of the MDR menu seemed to be a compromise.

 

If the Luminae menu as it is suits you perfectly, lucky you! For many owing to dietary issues and personal preferences it isn't perfect for all. Don't take a working option away without offering an alternative.

Edited November 22, 2016 by chemmo

[uktog]

I have to agree with the OP. Our experience on Infinity was impacted by the amount of off menu ordering by guests. How do we know that? Because that's the reason given to us by the Maitre D when we commented on very patchy service. He said his staff were scared to say no to some in high end suites he told us

 

So if they cannot change the menus or alter the staff levels it should be a no - why should the experience of some be impacted by the personal tastes of others? I either go to the MDR or choose within the boundaries- even with food allergies it's very possible.

 

And whilst we are on the subject yes bond with wait staff and get to know them but don't monopolise them when others are waiting to be served especially on the first night. A few words is enough unless the waiter has nothing else to do.

 

Let's all be sensitive to what's going on around 😀

[sanger727]

How do you fix it? When a guest says, "I'd like the onion soup (from the MDR) the server should be allowed to say, "I'm sorry, but that isn't on this evening's menu. If you'd like I can ask our Maitre D' to see if there is a table available in the MDR for you so you can enjoy that." Luminae's menu is available early enough that a suite guest that doesn't like it can choose to dine somewhere else.

 

The problem with this suggestion is that non-MDR assigned guests adding to the select dining program is part of what's causing the issued with the long wait for the people for whom select MDR is their assigned dining room.

[chemmo]

I have to agree with the OP. Our experience on Infinity was impacted by the amount of off menu ordering by guests. How do we know that? Because that's the reason given to us by the Maitre D when we commented on very patchy service. He said his staff were scared to say no to some in high end suites he told us

 

So if they cannot change the menus or alter the staff levels it should be a no - why should the experience of some be impacted by the personal tastes of others? I either go to the MDR or choose within the boundaries- even with food allergies it's very possible.

 

And whilst we are on the subject yes bond with wait staff and get to know them but don't monopolise them when others are waiting to be served especially on the first night. A few words is enough unless the waiter has nothing else to do.

 

Let's all be sensitive to what's going on around 😀

 

Perhaps you have summed up the problem (I have not experienced slow service on either of my Luminae cruises by the way...)....

 

If the menu was modified then the MDR menu would perhaps not be needed but as it stands it obviously is or it wouldn't be becoming a problem on some cruises....

[excitedofharpenden]

"I'm sorry, but that isn't on this evening's menu. If you'd like I can ask our Maitre D' to see if there is a table available in the MDR for you so you can enjoy that."

 

An answer like that would go down like a lead balloon to many. I wouldn't be happy to be in effect told if I don't like the food in Luminae I can dine elsewhere. I'm afraid I found the menu quite limited on the occasions I went to Luminae last month and did order from the MDR menu once. I didn't encounter any delay in the service over and above what I'd had on other occasions. Oh and the crab cakes in Luminae were exactly the same as I had in the MDR on another night, but with the dressing on the top rather than underneath. That's a different matter, though I'm sure the kitchens can't be far from each other.

[excitedofharpenden]

Perhaps you have summed up the problem (I have not experienced slow service on either of my Luminae cruises by the way...)....

 

 

Service on RF last month was quite slow and the restaurant very busy. I was disappointed in both service and food.

[wallie5446]

Just off the Silhouette TA where we had an A-MAY-ZZZZING time! My number one suggestion to Celebrity: There are times when you have to let your staff just say "No". Luminae was phenomenal and the review of our cruise will be written tomorrow, but the practice of allowing guests in Luminae to order from the Main Dining Room must stop. In no other restaurant on board is a guest allowed to order from another menu: You can't go into Tuscan and ask for Qsine's Sushi Lollipops. You can't go into the Main Dining Room and ask for the Grand Marnier souffle from Murano. Why do I care/what does it matter? Having the server retrieve food from the other kitchen takes time and takes them away from their other guests' enjoyment of their dinner. How do you fix it? When a guest says, "I'd like the onion soup (from the MDR) the server should be allowed to say, "I'm sorry, but that isn't on this evening's menu. If you'd like I can ask our Maitre D' to see if there is a table available in the MDR for you so you can enjoy that." Luminae's menu is available early enough that a suite guest that doesn't like it can choose to dine somewhere else.

 

Why would someone pay to go to a speciality then order from the menu in the MDR? That makes no sence what so ever. Nor can you order off a speciality menu anywhere but in that venue. We have never seen anyone attempt to do this. You want the Grand Mariner soufflé? Pay the fee for the seat.

 

Luminae and Blu are simply the rooms to dine in assigned to a cabin category.

Has Celebrity tweaked their menus? Yes. But they also know that they got to their current level because a number of their passengers have enjoyed the items offered in the MDR for a long time. Before there were ever 'additional' places to sit an eat.

[excitedofharpenden]

Why would someone pay to go to a speciality then order from the menu in the MDR?

I didn't pay to go to Luminae. I was with a group of people who dined there so I wasn't going to go and sit on my own and eat in the MDR because I looked at the Luminae menu and didn't see a main course I fancied. Makes perfect sense to me.